We shouldn’t only celebrate the richness of Black literature for one month of the year. Black History Month is observed during February in the United States and several other countries, but our commitment to diversifying our bookshelves and shedding light on Black experiences cannot end there.
The Black literary tradition in the US and beyond has deep historical roots. Black authors around the globe experiment with language and cast light on a wide variety of experiences. While certain prominent Black writers have solidified their position in the literary canon, myriad others aren’t as well-known.
Contemporary Black authors strive to break literary boundaries and engage with today’s social issues. The list below highlights several of these authors across a variety of genres and topics, including both popular and niche books to add to your TBR list.
1. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
In this remarkable autobiography, award-winning novelist, journalist, and essayist Ta-Nehisi Coates writes candidly about his experience living as a Black man in America. The book is an homage to James Baldwin, structured as letters from a father to his teenage son. It is a must-read for anyone, especially if you are looking to better understand contemporary Black experiences. Coates confronts American history, ideals, and reality with candor and honesty.
The book was an incredibly accessible and powerful read that stayed with me for months after I read it. While Coates only represents one of millions of Black perspectives, he gives us countless new ways of thinking about and engaging with pertinent social issues. He grapples with a host of unanswered question that are undoubtedly important to ask and explore.
2. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
This novel is the first in N.K. Jemisin’s imaginative Broken Earth trilogy. With the trilogy, Jemisin became the first African American woman to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel, the first author to win in three consecutive years, and the first author to win for every book in a trilogy. The story takes place on a supercontinent called the Stillness, where a race of humans known as “orogenes” is able to manipulate seismic events. Orogenes face violent discrimination, with society treating them as weapons rather than people. The Fifth Season follows three different protagonists, each with a strong personality, whose stories eventually intersect.
The Broken Earth trilogy has paved the way for marginalized authors in the fantasy genre, which has predominantly been a very white and male genre. When I read The Fifth Season, I instantly understood why the book is so popular. Jemisin tackles incredibly difficult themes such as racism, oppression, and climate change, and provides compelling societal critiques. Her inventive storytelling also serves to challenge literary conventions. This book is highly immersive and and will keep you thinking for months afterward.
3. Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
This incredible debut novel from Caleb Azumah Nelson is a love story following a Black British couple in London. The two are both artists, drawn to each other because of shared experiences. As their love blooms, the couple must also navigate a society hostile to their Blackness. This book is just as much an intimate, introspective examination of race and masculinity as it is a deeply poetic and tender love story. It’s a relatively short novel that will stick with you, and it’s more than worth your time.
While the book grapples with some of the more difficult experiences of being Black in the UK, it also celebrates Black joy, resilience, and love. The poignant love story will have you feeling every emotion, from butterflies to heartbreak. The descriptions are simultaneously real, beautiful, and personal, and they’ll transport you back to the moment when you fell in love for the first time.
4. Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid
This book follows Emira Tucker, a young Black woman who babysits for Alix Chamberlain, a wealthy white entrepreneur. One day, a security guard accuses Emira of kidnapping Alix’s daughter while they’re at a store. The incident surprises Alix, and she sets out to make things right. However, her seemingly good intentions trigger a series of events that force both women to face harsh realities.
Such A Fun Age went viral on BookTok a few years ago and for good reason. The book is witty, immersive, and compelling right from the start. The writing style is vivid and accessible, and I couldn’t help but binge-read it in one sitting. While some have criticized the limitations of the novel’s social commentary, it still raises an abundance of powerful themes.
5. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
The first in a YA contemporary fantasy series, Legendborn follows sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews, who is grieving the loss of her mother. She enrolls in a residential high school program at UNC, hoping to escape her pain, but she witnesses a magical attack on her first day. She is soon thrust into a secret society of Legendborn students descended from King Arthur and his knights, where she learns to harness her own powers.
I initially picked this book up because it takes place in Chapel Hill, and I am a student at UNC. However, the magic system and imaginative world-building immediately swept me off my feet. While this book is written for a younger audience than some of the others on the list, it still deals with themes of grief and racism. Bree is a witty and strong protagonist, and the magic system is genuinely fascinating. I would highly recommend this book even if you’re not usually into fantasy.
6. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
This critically acclaimed novel was an Oprah’s Book Club pick and has been recommended by influential names such as Bill Gates and Barack Obama. It follows the marriage of Celestial and Roy, which quickly falls apart when Roy is falsely convicted of committing sexual assault. During his incarceration, Roy and Celestial continue to send each other letters, but their marriage inevitably suffers.
An American Marriage is by no means an easy read. The themes are very heavy, and the story often presents a somber tone. However, the writing is sharp and compelling, with rich social commentary about the criminal justice system.
7. I’m So (Not) Over You by Kosoko Jackson
For anyone looking for a fun and swoony rom-com, Kosoko Jackson’s I’m So (Not) Over You will not disappoint. The story follows aspiring journalist Kian Andrews, whose ex-boyfriend Hudson abruptly returns into his life and asks him to be his fake boyfriend. The plot combines multiple popular romance tropes such as fake dating and second chances, which will undoubtedly prove appealing to readers.
What further sets this book apart from other rom-coms is how it unapologetically makes room for Blackness and queerness in a genre that tends to be oversaturated with white heterosexual love stories. While the tone is hilarious, with countless references to pop culture, the characters maintain strong voices and work through complex questions of identity. You won’t regret picking this one up!
8. While We Were Burning by Sara Koffi
Sara Koffi’s thrilling debut has been compared to Parasite and Such A Fun Age. It follows Elizabeth Smith, whose perfect life has been upended by her best friend’s mysterious death. She hires an assistant to help take her mind off the situation. The assistant, Brianna, is a young Black woman seemingly perfect for the job — until she starts digging into the death as well, searching for answers about her own son’s murder by the police in Elizabeth’s neighborhood.
The book is very character-driven, which I like. It also dissects a multitude of themes, ranging from friendships to marriage to racism and classism. It’s definitely a roller coaster experience, and I recommend it for any reader who loves thrillers with social commentary.
9. Loved One by Aisha Muharrar
This is Aisha Muharrar’s debut novel, but she isn’t new to writing. She’s an Emmy Award-winning television writer and co-executive producer of Hacks, and she also wrote for Parks and Recreation and The Good Place. The book follows a character named Julia after her best friend, Gabe, a popular musician, suddenly passes away at age 30. At the funeral, she connects with Elizabeth, the woman Gabe had been dating. The two set off to retrieve some of Gabe’s things and become reluctant friends.
While the book deals with heavy subject matter, it incorporates hopeful and lighthearted moments too. Pop culture reference and humor abound. The characters are fun and realistic, which makes it easy to get invested in the story. Overall, this book is sure to help you feel less alone.
Continue Finding New Authors
Black authors have historically been underrepresented in the literary canon and by publishing houses, but they have infinite stories to tell. Learning from diverse experiences is incredibly valuable and necessary to creating an inclusive culture. And don’t stop at this list! There are so many contemporary Black authors breaking literary and political boundaries today.
